WKU baseball tops UE thanks to big rally

Aces drop home finale, second game to Hilltoppers

Western Kentucky spoiled the University of Evansville's home baseball finale Tuesday while coming back from five runs down to hand the Aces a 7-6 defeat at Braun Stadium.

The Hilltoppers (25-27) answered a four-run bottom of the fifth that moved Evansville (21-32) ahead 6-1 with five runs of their own in the top of the sixth. WKU started the inning with four straight singles and a sacrifice bunt before Evansville coach Wes Carroll lifted starting pitcher Cole Isom in favor of reliever Brent Jurceka.

From there the Aces allowed just one more run but couldn't score any themselves, including with two on and one out in the ninth before shortstop Shane Showers struck out looking to end the game.

WKU reliever Ian Tompkins earned the win on the mound. He came in midway through the sixth and struck out eight of 10 batters faced on a staff pitching day.

With just one game left to play in the regular season — a 6 p.m. Wednesday contest at SIU Edwardsville — Tuesday's result won't have any bearing on Evansville's postseason chances. The Aces enter next week's double-elimination Missouri Valley Conference tournament as the No. 5 seed regardless of what happens this weekend.